Angel of the Underground
by Cheeky Slytherin Lass
Summary: Could you be the one who falls from grace?:: Or in which Remus has always had a guardian angel, even if guardian angels don't exist.:: Wolfstar, angel!Sirius, human!Remus AU for Laura.


**A/N: For the lovely Laura!**

i.

"Remus!" his father calls. "Remus, don't wander too far!"

But the eleven year old doesn't really hear him. He keeps his eyes on his book, absorbed by the words on the page. The world around him falls away, and there is nothing else but his beloved book.

"Remus! Watch out!"

There is a hideous screech and sudden burst of pain as something large and metallic crashes into his small body. Blood rushes to his head, and he can barely register the screaming around.

"Remus! Oh, God! Help!"

The boy's eyes flutter open. Arms are around him, but they are not his father's arms. Someone holds him. A man with shaggy black hair and grey eyes, touches his cheek, head bowing.

"Remus? Can you hear me?"

As the world fades to black, Remus is certain he hears the sound of wings flapping.

..

Beeping wakes him up. Remus groans, trying to sit upright, but the pain is too great, and he slumps back in a pitiful heap.

"Remus, baby?" his mum whispers.

"What happened?" he manages to ask, but the words are thick, slurred.

"You stepped into the road, love," she says, her voice cracking. "Right in front of a car. And, oh God- Baby, you-"

She dissolves into tears, resting her head on his pillow.

"What happened to the man?"

"The driver died instantly, they say."

Remus shakes his head. "Not him. The one who held me..."

"Remus, there wasn't anyone else there."

..

According to the doctors, his survival is a miracle. Someone as small as Remus should not have walked away from the accident with only broken bones and a concussion.

"You must have an angel watching out for you," James teases as he pushes the wheelchair much too fast down the hospital corridor.

Remus laughs, but he doesn't tell his friend that he might be right.

ii.

"Aren't there wolves in the woods?" Remus asks nervously. "I read that somewhere."

James rolls his eyes. "We're camping, mate. It's supposed to be fun. Don't ruin it with what you've read, okay?"

Still uneasy, Remus shrugs. He's sixteen now, and sixteen should be a fearless year.

"I'll get the tent ready," James says. "You go collect firewood or something."

..

Remus swears softly under his breath, heart hammering in his chest as the sun begins to set. He's hopelessly lost, and daylight is quickly fading.

"James!" he calls, gripping the firewood to his chest. "James!"

No answer.

Swallowing dryly, he keeps going, convincing himself that he doesn't hear twigs snapping and ominous sounds behind him. If he keeps moving, he'll be okay. He has to be.

Snarling proves him wrong. A large dog stalks out from between the trees, lips pulled back to reveal its teeth.

"Nice doggy," Remus says, dropping the wood and holding his hands up in front of him, palms out. "Good dog. Stay."

But feral dogs don't understand, and as Remus tries to step back, it lunges.

With a cry, Remus falls to the ground, bracing himself for the pain of teeth ripping through his flesh. Instead, the dog yelps, and Remus hears the frantic patter of paws retreating.

Hesitantly, he opens his eyes to see a familiar face. Black hair, grey eyes. The man hasn't changed a bit in five years.

"I know you," Remus says quietly. "You were there... You held me."

The stranger doesn't respond. He stares silently at Remus, a hint of a grin on his lips.

"Who are you?"

"Most people don't notice us," the man mutters before disappearing.

..

"Remus, thank God," James says when he finds his friend sitting among the dropped wood, eyes still fixed on where the man had been. "What happened?"

"He was here."

"What? What are you on about, mate?"

"He was there, too."

"Remus?"

"I think I have a guardian angel."

iii.

Remus sits in his dormitory, a book laying open on his bed.

"Angels again?" James snorts. "You're in uni, Remus. You should be out there picking up women and getting drunk, not learning."

"I don't think you really understand what university means," Remus teases dryly, setting his pen between the pages to mark his place before closing the book.

"You're studying education, not religion," James reminds him. "Come on. Let's go get you laid."

..

Remus hates the parties James drags him to. He stands, back against the wall, an untouched drink in his hand.

"Come on, Remus. Live a little. Have fun," James says, nudging his friend's shoulder. "Oi! Evans! Evans!"

And then he's gone, chasing after Lily again.

Remus realizes that James wouldn't even notice if he left.

Shrugging, he pushes himself off the wall and quickly makes his way out the door and into the quiet winter night.

..

"Gimme your money."

The knife pressing into Remus' chest makes him slow to move.

"Quit fucking around. Your money, now."

"I don't want any trouble," Remus says.

"Then give me your fucking money."

"I don't have any."

He'd been dragged to the party without any time to prepare. His wallet is still resting on his desk in his dormitory.

"Wanna do this the hard way, then?" the boy sneers, lifting the knife to Remus' throat and pressing down. "I can play, too, pretty boy."

Beads of blood form, tickling Remus' skin. He closes his eyes, lips moving rapidly in a silent prayer.

"Hey!" someone calls, and Remus is sure he recognizes the voice from somewhere. "Leave him alone!"

"Shit."

The knife lowers, Remus opens his eyes in time to see his attacker running off as a man with dark hair rushes forward.

"You again," Remus says.

The man smiles. "Me again," he confirms, grey eyes twinkling.

"Who are you?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

iv.

"So, you're an angel."

Sirius nods.

"An actual angel."

Another nod.

"My guardian angel?"

Sirius laughs. "Guardian angels don't really exist," he says.

"But you saved me. Three times. It was always you."

The angel shifts uncomfortably. "Got myself into a bit of trouble with that," he admits. "I was not supposed to intervene. It was not God's will."

"Why did you?"

Sirius doesn't answer right away. He leans back on Remus' bed, pushing a hand through his dark hair. Several moments of silence pass between them before Sirius sighs. "Your soul cried out to me."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You humans use the term soul mate," he explains. "And you're usually dead wrong about it. But you're only human, so..."

"Still not following you."

"You pulled me in. Something about you called to me, and I knew I couldn't just let you die. Even if it meant defying God. I risked my place in Heaven for you, Remus."

"Why me?"

"Your soul was too beautiful to be taken. I lost my rank, and the boss has been determined to right what I've messed up."

Remus shakes his head, trying to understand, but it's too much. "You keep saving me."

"I keep defying God."

"For me."

"Yes."

Remus can't explain the sudden urge. He leans across the bed, closing the distance between them and cupping Sirius' cheek gently in his hand before kissing him.

It's brief, barely even a few seconds. Sirius pulls away, eyes wide. "I do not understand."

Remus laughs. "Me neither," he admits before kissing Sirius again.

..

"You're glowing!" James teases. "Must've gotten lucky last night."

"I met an angel."

James laughs. "Must have been one hell of a woman."

..

"You're back. Am I going to die?" Remus asks nervously.

Sirius shakes his head. "I wanted to see you."

Butterflies erupt in Remus' stomach. "Why?"

"Because you still call out to me."

Remus moves closer, but Sirius draws away. "What's wrong?"

"Romance between our kinds is forbidden. Of course, romance is forbidden for angels, regardless."

"Why?"

"Anything that could come between us and our duty to God is forbidden," Sirius explains.

"But you came back."

"I keep breaking all the rules for you, don't I?"

"I've noticed that," Remus says quietly.

"You're dangerous for me, Remus," Sirius sighs. "If I keep this up, I'll fall."

"Fall...?"

"From grace."

Remus' heart sinks. He doesn't want that, but he also doesn't want Sirius to leave. But the angel has risked enough for him already.

He moves closer before Sirius can react, kissing his cheek. "Then you should stop," he whispers.

"You don't want me to," Sirius says, confusion heavy in his voice.

"No. But I know you need to."

With a dry laugh, Sirius touches Remus' cheek. "You are what saints are made of, Remus Lupin. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

v.

"When are you going to get married?" James asks as he watches his father dance with his bride.

"Never. My soul mate is gone," Remus sighs.

"Come on. You're only twenty-five. I'm sure you'll find someone."

Remus shakes his head. "I don't think so."

..

When he returns home from the wedding, he finds Sirius in his kitchen, the back of his shirt soaked with blood.

"Sirius?"

Remus rushes closer, unsure what to do. He knows first aid, but he doubts human methods would work on an angel. "Sirius," he says, standing helplessly by him, "what happened?"

"I didn't want to stay in Heaven," Sirius whispers. "Not if it meant only seeing you from above."

Understanding sours his stomach. "You fell."

"They ripped out my wings. My grace is draining."

"Why? Why would you-"

Sirius cuts him off with a kiss. "Because your soul never stopped calling out to me."


End file.
